


Coping

by TheonSugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Drugs, M/M, Overdose, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-16 23:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4644753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonSugden/pseuds/TheonSugden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert comforts Aaron after Adam overdoses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coping

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after a drunken Robert tried to kiss Aaron, but before the truth came out about Adam's one-night stand.

During one of their fights, Robert had been tempted to tell Aaron he’d end up in the gutter, but he never thought he’d see it literally.

He knew he should probably steer clear, especially with the scowl carved deeper into Aaron’s face than ever before, but he could tell when Aaron was upset.

“Aaron…?” 

Aaron moved his head from his hands to give a long, disdainful scan up and down Robert’s body.

“Not used to seein’ ya without your cock glued to your zip…must be havin’ a shy day.”

Robert looked down at his baggy trousers, and back to the scowl.

“I just wanted to see if you were alright,” Robert muttered, more to himself than to Aaron, before planning to cut his morning stroll to Bob’s short and head back to Home Farm. Ironic name since it had never felt less like a home.

“Robert…wait,” he heard, just as quietly, right before he got out of earshot. “Meet me at the scrapyard after you get your ‘mericano and have your chats.”

“What about Adam?”

Aaron’s scowl faded to concern.

“Don’t have to worry ‘bout Adam today.”

Before Robert could say anything else, Aaron walked away.

Two Americanos, one muffin, and too much time spent primping in a poorly lit cafe toilet later, he made his way to the portacabin, jumping in his expensive shoes when that bloody dog put him on full blast.

“That dog is out of control,” he snapped at a bemused, distracted Aaron as he made his way into the tiny office. 

“Ain’t me dog…although I’ll have to give ‘im a treat for makin’ you shit your pants.”

Robert smiled at that, mostly hoping it would put a smile on Aaron’s face if he did. 

Almost worked, until Aaron’s words wiped his grin away.

“Adam’s with his mam and…James - lucky if he isn’t gettin’ his stomach pumped.”

Robert was about to phone his sister when Aaron waved his hand.

“They already called Vic…”

Robert thought Aaron seemed strangely conflicted about that.

He sat down in the roller chair, imagining Adam giving it a spin and laughing like mad.

“Why did he…?”

Aaron chewed his lower lip.

“What aren’t you telling me, Aaron?”

“Not my secret to tell…”

“So there IS a secret?”

Aaron shook his head, smirking. 

“Always an angle with you. Just get out.”

Robert did want to know, not for some nefarious reason, but to protect his sister. 

He got up, slowly walking over to Aaron, best look of concern worn on his soft features.

“You asked me here, remember? If you want to just talk, I can listen. I can stand on my head if you want me to, or juggle…I’m very ambidextrous.”

“Yeah, that’s one word for it.”

Aaron sighed before he stood up, staring at Robert like Robert was waiting to spring a trap.

“He found some pills he’d stashed last year…some old coat. By the time I got there he’d taken a few. He was out of it. I looked at what was left in the bag…knew it was a bad mix.”

Robert’s curious face led to a sharper rictus grin from Aaron.

“Oh yeah - never told ya. I was a dealer.”

Robert tried and failed to look surprised.

“Shock o’your life, huh?”

“Well you  _are_  a Dingle…”

He couldn’t get the rest of the joke out before Aaron shoved him into the chair, leaning over to get close to his face, nose to nose, hissing each word for emphasis.

“Me best mate mighta had an overdose and all you can do is jab at my family? Don’t you ever stop being such a piece of shit? Vic loves him to bits and he don’t even think he’s good enough for her.” 

Robert couldn’t help himself. 

“That’s because he’s not.” 

Aaron stepped back, wildness in his eyes, and for a moment, Robert thought Aaron was going to hit him, until he went for the wall near Robert’s head instead. 

Robert caught his fist just in time, pulling him forward into a tight hug.

“He’s ten times the bloke you are…or I am,” he growled into Robert’s jumper.

Robert wasn’t sure which insult had hurt him more, but it was the latter he couldn’t get out of his head.

“You’re better than any of us, Aaron,” he whispered in Aaron’s ear, kissing his furry cheek and the side of his head as Aaron rested his head on Robert’s chest. “And Adam would say the same thing.”

He didn’t really believe the last part, but he thought Aaron needed to hear it.

Aaron laughed, low and rough, rumbling through Robert’s torso, before he pulled his head back again.

“Y’know, he tried to kiss me,” he said, chuckling again to try to knock the tears from his throat. 

Robert held him a little closer, jealousy flaring even when he knew Aaron would least want to deal with it.

“And you refused?”

Aaron snorted.

“Course I did. Just like when you…”

He couldn’t make himself finish, swallowing his tongue and starting to move from Robert’s arms. Robert resisted letting him go, and Aaron didn’t put up much effort.

Robert could barely even remember that day. He only remembered how warm Aaron’s body had felt next to his…just like now.

“Top fella I am. Only worth a second glance when the men are off their heads.”

Robert hated the reminders of just how easily Aaron could be hurt, especially when he was hurting himself. He hated them so much he said what he said, to himself as much as to Aaron.

“I didn’t want to kiss you because I was drunk…I wanted to kiss you because…”

“’Cos you miss having a man on call before you play happy families?” Aaron pushed, almost begging him to not say anything warmer.

Robert shook his head, clearing his throat, knowing how deeply the words were lodged.

“I wanted to kiss you because I miss you and…because I still love you, Aaron.”

Aaron crumpled, making one final half-hearted attempt to break away. 

“I hate you when you say that,” he rasped, tears filling his eyes. “It’s not fair on me, Robert. Hate you so much…”

Robert put a finger under his chin.

“No, you don’t,” he said softly.

Sober this time, he leaned forward for a kiss, soft, gentle, full of apology, a kiss to build up, rather than tear down.

A kiss that Aaron, this time, didn’t refuse.


End file.
